Recollections of October
It was October, the leaves fell,
I reveled in my youth.
But what happened in sixty-two
took the fun and
innocence out of autumn;
There were missiles in Cuba.
Missiles,with more on the way.
Warnings were given,
demands and threats made.
At thirteen I learned
the meaning of a naval blockade.
Grown-ups spoke in hushed tones
over hastily brewed coffee,
eyes and ears glued
to the television for the latest news.
We went to bed and slept uneasily,
not knowing what kind of world
we would wake up to,
if we woke up at all.
Two giants, swords drawn,
faced each other
in a battle of wills.
The great bear blinked
and we stepped back
from the abyss
that nearly swallowed
an anxious world.
It was October, the leaves fell,
somehow I felt much older.
Copyright © J. Summers | Year Posted 2023
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